Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function. They...

Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping

Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping

People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about the way you...

Beck's Cognitive Therapy

Beck's Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy is a psychological approach designed to address distortions in thinking, which can lead to negative emotions and unrealistic beliefs. These cognitive distortions often influence how individuals interpret and respond to situations, exacerbating emotional distress. Below are some prevalent cognitive distortions, their characteristics, and examples of how they manifest in thought processes.
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...

Protecting Self-Esteem

Protecting Self-Esteem

Self-esteem, a central component of psychological well-being, is actively maintained through various cognitive and behavioral strategies. Individuals employ specific mechanisms to preserve a positive self-concept and mitigate threats to their self-worth, particularly in contexts involving social evaluation or personal feedback. Four primary techniques are commonly used to sustain self-esteem.Manipulating AppraisalsOne prominent strategy involves manipulating appraisals from others. Individuals...

Self-Discrepancy Theory

Self-Discrepancy Theory

One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.

The Placebo Effect

The Placebo Effect

The placebo effect occurs when people's expectations or beliefs influence or determine their experience in a given situation. In other words, simply expecting something to happen can actually make it happen.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Clinical Interviewing: An Essential but Neglected Method of Medicine.

Psychotherapy and psychosomatics·2024

Same author

Illness Denial in Medical Conditions: The Time Has Come to Include It in DSM Iterations.

Psychotherapy and psychosomatics·2023

Same author

Response to Commentary Titled "Conflation of Delirium and Coma as Acute Encephalopathy".

Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry·2023

Same author

Bladder Point-of-Care Ultrasound: A Time Saver in the Pediatric Emergency Department.

The Journal of emergency medicine·2021

Same author

Clinimetric Criteria for Patient-Reported Outcome Measures.

Psychotherapy and psychosomatics·2021

Same author

Improved Strategies for Teaching Surgical Skills in the Obstetrics-Gynecology Clerkship: Simulation and Beyond.

Surgical innovation·2020

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity

Published on: September 26, 2025

Cognitive performance enhancement: misuse or self-treatment?

Alexander L Peterkin¹, Catherine C Crone, Michael J Sheridan

¹University of Virginia, Charlottesville 22904, USA. peterkin.alex@gmail.com

Journal of Attention Disorders

|April 23, 2010

Summary

College students misusing ADHD medication are often symptomatic for adult ADHD. This misuse may stem from undiagnosed ADHD, highlighting the need for better access to diagnosis and treatment.

More Related Videos

Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills

Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills

Published on: April 23, 2014

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Published on: February 15, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 13, 2026

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity

Published on: September 26, 2025

Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills

Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills

Published on: April 23, 2014

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Published on: February 15, 2015

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychiatry
Public Health

Background:

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder.
Medication misuse among college students is a growing concern.
Understanding the motivations behind ADHD medication misuse is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the association between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medication misuse and the presence of adult ADHD symptoms.
To explore the reasons and perceived benefits of ADHD stimulant misuse in a college student population.

Main Methods:

A cross-sectional survey design was employed.
Data were collected from 184 college student volunteers in Northern Virginia.
Statistical analysis was performed on the collected survey data.

Main Results:

A significant correlation was found between ADHD stimulant misuse and positive screening for adult ADHD symptoms (71%).
Individuals misusing ADHD stimulants were seven times more likely to exhibit ADHD symptoms compared to non-misusers.
The primary motivations for misuse were academic enhancement (87%) and perceived grade improvement (76%).

Conclusions:

ADHD stimulant misuse in college students is strongly linked to underlying adult ADHD symptoms.
Misuse may represent a form of self-treatment for undiagnosed ADHD, driven by a desire for cognitive enhancement.
Increased accessibility to medical diagnosis and treatment for adult ADHD is recommended to mitigate misuse.